1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to manufacturing and, in particular, to manufacturing parts for vehicles. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and system for designing aircraft parts for manufacturing.
2. Background
Manufacturing parts for an aircraft is a complex and time-consuming process. Hundreds of thousands of parts may be designed and assembled to complete an aircraft.
Manufacturing of aircraft parts includes designing each part to be assembled in the aircraft. These parts are often designed using computer-aided design (CAD) models of parts. Once a model is created, material selection and design modifications occur. The part is then analyzed, manufactured, and tested. This testing may include structural analysis, in-flight testing, ultrasound inspection, simulation, and various other types of testing. After testing of the part has occurred, the part may be certified such that each part meets Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards, internal manufacturing standards, or both.
In some cases, when designing new aircraft parts, designers may modify parts already in use. For example, a designer may use a part from an existing aircraft as a template to design a new part for another aircraft. As another example, a designer could revise the design of an existing part to add a feature, such as a mounting hole, or change the material properties used for the part.
To accomplish this task, the existing part would need to be located by the designer. Locating an existing part may be done in a variety of different ways. In one illustrative example, designers might possibly locate the existing part in a part database by entering the name of the existing part, the part number, or other information they remember about the part. As another example, the designer might visually search for a suitable part from a large inventory of parts in a warehouse or storage facility. In yet another illustrative example, designers who have previously worked on a similar part might possibly remember where to find the existing part for use.
Often, locating existing parts in this manner takes more time than desired. For example, if the designer does not have the correct file name or part number, searching for the existing part is difficult. Moreover, physically inspecting parts in a warehouse may take more time than designing a new part.
Even if a search is conducted for an existing part, in some cases, the designer may not be able to locate an existing part for use in a new design. When an existing part cannot be located by a search, substantial costs are incurred due to the time required to create, release, and maintain the data, contracts, and planning associated with the creation of new parts. Also, when a new part is designed, rather than reusing a previously certified design for part, the new part needs to be tested and certified for use in an aircraft.
In addition, low re-use of parts contributes to variability in manufacturing processes. As an example, equipment used to manufacture or assemble parts may need to be modified based on the specifications for the new part. This modification of manufacturing equipment is time-consuming and contributes to a loss of efficiency. As a result, the manufacturing and assembly of aircraft may take longer than desired. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.